2012 Minnesota State Fair Guide: Hours, Costs, a Handy App and More

Nearly two million people are expected to descend on the Minnesota State Fair’s 320-acre grounds starting Thursday and the following 11 days for concerts, contests, cows and corn dogs.

Here’s Fridley Patch’s rundown on what you need to know to get to the fair and find your way around:

Hours
Admission gates open daily at 6 a.m. Ticket sales end at 10 p.m. (9 p.m. on Labor Day). Grounds close at midnight (10 p.m. on Labor Day). Most buildings are open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Cost
Adults (ages 13–64) pay $12. Seniors and children 5 years old and older pay $10. Children younger than 5 are admitted for free. Promotional days are offered throughout the fair.

Transportation
Big change this year: The nearest place to catch an express bus to the fair has moved north from Northtown to the National Sports Center in Blaine at 1700 105th Ave. NE. For more on Metro Transit service, see the agency's State Fair website.

The Minnesota State Fairgrounds address is 1265 Snelling Ave. N. in St. Paul. Maps and directions are available on the fair’s website. Note that light-rail construction on University Avenue will slow traffic flow; the fair’s website has tips on how to avoid the congestion.

State fair parking lots cost $12 and can be accessed off Larpenteur, Snelling, or Cleveland avenues. Discount tickets can be purchased in advance through Aug. 22 at Cub Foods or the State Fair Box Office. (Motorcycle parking is offered for $6 on Como Avenue.)

Free parking is available at 34 locations around the fairgrounds. Complimentary buses leave every 20 minutes from 8 a.m. to midnight to pick up fair-goers. In 2011, the park and ride program gave more than 900,000 rides.

Free bike racks are offered at the Como-Snelling and Hoyt-Snelling gates and at Commonwealth-West Dan Patch from 6 a.m. to midnight daily.

Navigating the fair
The state fair’s website has downloadable maps of the grounds and daily activity schedules.

The state fair is also smart phone accessible, with a mobile website and stand-alone apps for iPhones and Android phones that include a manipulable map and the ability to search listings of events, merchandise and food.